Are you looking for a 5K , 10K or 1 mile fun run this month and want to support a great cause in the process? Well lace up your running shoes for Ella’s Race on Saturday March 22, 2014 hosted by Chick-fil-A Capital Crossing and Falls Village in North Raleigh. The race will benefit The Cure Starts Now and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation to help pediatric research, aid, and support efforts for children with brain cancer & tumors.

The 10K and 5K Race time is 8am. The 1 mile fun walk is at 9:30am. The course will take you through some of the nearby neighborhoods in beautiful North Raleigh. Directly beside the finish line of the race will be a FREE Family FunZone for children under 12 years of age. The Family FunZone will be open from 7:00-10:00AM on event day and will be filled with free activities and inflatables!

Ella’s Story
Ella was diagnosed April 29, 2008 with a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. This is a rare, aggressive, non-operable tumor located in the pons area of the brainstem. The prognosis for this type of tumor is extremely grim. There is no cure, no known effective treatment except for radiation-which, for some, provides only temporary relief of the symptoms. Ella lost her brave battle on Wednesday, February 8th while at home with her family.

How can you helpRun. Donate. Support. Proceeds of the Chick-fil-A Connect Race Series of Raleigh help organizations fight for children like Ella. Ella’s supporters believe in the work that The Cure Starts Now and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation do. They are partnering to make this race a reality and to save children diagnosed with cancer and brain tumors.

Chance to win FREE Race Registration!
Thanks to my friends at North Raleigh Family Eyecare I have four FREE race geistrations to give away to Triangle Explorer readers! To enter the giveaway just leave a comment below sharing why you like to run. You can also earn additional entries into the drawing by sharing a link to this post about Ella’s Race on Twitter and/or facebook. Be sure to tag me @Trianglexplorer and use the hashtag #EllasRace so I can see you have shared the link. I will select 4 winners randomly on Monday March 17th and notify them by email with the promotional codes. Thank you for helping spread the word about this wonderful cause!

I love the raw simplicity of running. Just putting on a pair of shoes and taking off. Plus, since running I have a lot more energy and endurance; for hikes, walks with the family, or playing “I’m the cheetah, you’re the antelope” with my 3 year old son.

I ran Ella’s 10K Race last year. It is small, close to home, well done, great sponsors, and most importantly a fantastic cause that hits close to home. I look forward to running the 10K again this year!